I’ll Just Have To Call It a Tie

Butterflies are so incredible in many ways and there are many reasons why. Let’s dig a little more into this fascinating creature. Butterflies are active in the nice hot day time and are different from their neighboring moth who is most likely found at night.

Let’s look at the wing structure and the amazing patterns on the wings. The wingspan on some butterflies is only 6mm, although most have a 10mm wingspan. The average butterfly’s wingspan is about 30mm. The moth’s wingspan on the other hand is about 4mm. They are usually much smaller. A butterfly’s wings are usually very colorful, while the moth’s are dull colors.

 

So how does a butterfly search for its food? The nectar channels of flowers allow butterflies to easily find the food they enjoy. Butterflies drink nectar using tube-like tongues. Did you know that butterflies can taste through their feet? Butterflies have small sensors that are on the back of their legs. The insect will step on its food to sense the tasty sugars. I’m sure glad humans don’t have to do that! The butterfly that I saw not too long ago was a beautiful monarch drinking nectar from the zinnias. Moths suck the juicy nectars from the flowers, too, just like the butterfly.

How fast can a butterfly go? Skipper butterflies fly so fast that they could outpace a horse at 37mph, but most butterflies fly at 5 to 12 miles per hour. I think that’s fast. Moths can reach speeds up to 35mph. That’s fast too, but not as fast as the butterfly.

A butterfly’s life cycle starts with an egg. It hatches into a larva, then becomes a pupa. Finally, it becomes a beautifully colored butterfly. I have seen butterflies in their chrysalis before. This is the pupa stage. Jonah got a see-through container where he had lots of butterfly caterpillars. It was about five to twenty days before they all hatched. After that, Jonah set every one of them free. Jonah has caught moths, but he has never kept them through all the stages. Moths make a cocoon that is silky unlike the butterfly’s smooth, hard chrysalis.

The butterfly’s amazing habits have always inspired me in many ways. The more I learn about these insects, the more I like them and their miraculous life-cycle. It’s hard to decide which one I like better between the moth and the butterfly, so as far as I’m concerned, I’ll just have to call it a tie.

~Unique

Putt-ing About In South Carolina

Earlier this year we attended the annual Restoration Destination conference at the Avista resort. Our stay was filled with beautiful weather, enabling us to get in a lot of beach time. We swam in the not too cold waters and played on the sandy and not too crowded beaches. Then towards the end of the week, a friend of ours, Ralph, asked to treat us to a game of miniature golf, at one of the local putt-putt courses. Delighted by his offer and appreciative of his generosity, we pulled onto the course, Wednesday afternoon, to view a small corner of South Carolina turned into a swash-buckling, high seas, mini-golfing adventure.

There were two different 18-hole courses so we decided to split up into two groups, the girls taking one course while the boys took the other. It was announced that at the end, there would be a prize for whoever had the lowest score on either team. Thus enlightened, we set off down the path to the first green.

We girls, after deciding in what order we all would hit, made our way leisurely around the course. Occasionally there were a couple of hole in ones, amazing rebounds sometimes, and even a few balls hit out of bounds! Despite the higher scores, we had a great time. 

 

The course was very interactive, with speakers set about permeating the atmosphere with pirate music or stories, and signs telling of famous pirates and buccaneer lingo. At certain greens, there was a wheel to spin and follow the often quirky directions. One time you might have to putt with the wrong end of your club or tee off with your eyes closed. Maybe you would use your foot the entire hole, or not be able to speak for a round, under penalty of gaining a stroke!

Once we girls finished the course we were on, we started on the second one, then we noticed that the boys were already about finished with their second course, so we quickly made our way around the eighteen holes, more for fun than to keep score. Back at the building, we met the boys who were waiting for us. Scores were announced, revealing that the winner of the boys’ group was Dad, and the winner of the girls’, Aunt Sue! The prize? Dippin’ dots, which Ralph ended up kindly getting for all of us.

The enjoyable afternoon came to a close. It was nice getting to know Ralph better. He was certainly a generous brother in Christ and showered us with his giving. We are thankful that he took his time and resources to invite us out for a swashbuckling game of putt-putt golf.

~Halayah

Safe, Loud, Exciting, Crazy, and Fun

The Friday after Thanksgiving Day, the family began to arrive at our house for our big family thanksgiving party! Our family thanksgiving meal was not to happen until Saturday, so we busied ourselves that day eating a delicious meal of mashed potatoes topped with turkey and noodles, and some homemade biscuits spread with butter and jelly.

After we had finished, and had a few hours to digest our food, we decided that it was time to take our traditional squirrel hunt. The 4-10 along with BB guns, and a single shot 22 were all brought out and loaded. Once all 15 members of the hunting party were ready, we set out along our trail looking for squirrels as we went.

It was not long before Willow our dog caught our attention with her barks, which generally indicates the presence of a squirrel. We began heading in the direction from which the barks were coming, and soon the furry little tree dweller was seen jumping from tree to tree! Shouts of excitement were heard as everyone followed the animal, who no doubt was very much afraid of all the noise.

All who had guns moved to the front, and the ones without guns stood back and out of the way. Everyone had their eyes on the tree, looking hard, for the squirrel seemed to have disappeared! We looked intently, but no squirrel was in sight. I happened to glance over at a neighboring tree and chanced to see the end of a squirrel’s tail slip behind a branch! I pointed out to the others where the animal lay flat against a limb.

Jonah, who was in possession of the 4-10, with my help was shown where the squirrel was. He was just about to shoot, when some shouts caught our attention. There’s another squirrel, and another! There were three squirrels! Looking around, we saw that two of them were running and jumping from tree to tree! I turned to watch as Jonah took aim at the squirrel closest to us, and fire! Boom went the gun, and the squirrel fell from the tree.

The gun was passed to me as Jonah went to collect his prize. I took a shell from Dad, and after putting the gun on safety, reloaded it. I then, with the gun pointing to the ground, quickly walked ahead to where the other two squirrels continued to run. 

One squirrel managed to slip into its nest and being unethical to shoot into the nest after it, we let it be. The other squirrel, however, passed the nest and stopped in the crotch of a tree where it sat motionless. I shifted my orange hat, then carefully took aim and pulled the trigger. Bang went the gun, and down went the squirrel.

We continued walking, and neared the house right as dusk began to settle. It was then that I saw a squirrel run across the trail ahead of me! I called out “squirrel,” and pointed it out to everyone. Once again, the armed members of the group took the lead, and once all the watchers were back and out of the way, they began carefully taking shots at the squirrel. The shots scared two more unseen squirrels into running, making three squirrels altogether running and jumping from tree to tree! 

We all split up, each group following a different animal. I saw one of squirrels run down a tree and pointed it out to one of the shooters. Once he was sure that no one was behind, or around the tree, he fired. Boom, boom! Two guns fired near the same time, and two different squirrels fell from the same tree! As the third squirrel scampered off, all of the guns were put on safety, then the squirrels were gathered up and we walked the rest of the trail.

Once we arrived back at the house, the guns were unloaded, and put away. All of the hunting orange was removed and put back in the box.

We gutted, skinned and quartered the squirrels, and put them into the freezer for later. It is fun to go on the big family squirrel hunts, especially when we get four squirrels! I am thankful for the squirrels we did get and am glad that everyone was safe. I am already looking forward to the next time we go on our safe, loud, exciting, crazy, and fun squirrel hunt.

~Samuel

The Faux Pas

They say that the mind is the first thing to go, and I am now beginning to wonder! I just turned sixty in October, but I did not think things like this would happen so fast! “What,” you may ask. We’ll get to that in a bit. There are advantages however to gaining a little maturity. Relationships are often deeper and more meaningful. Grey hair brings on a little more wisdom, and one frequently has a happier perspective on life. Self-esteem goes on the rise, and confidence increases, which lowers stress and adds joy. Watching your children and grandchildren progress through life brings a sense of satisfaction and peace.

But, my recent ordeal with an extension cord added a little question to my mind about aging. My nice heavy-duty cord was beginning to short out on the socket end of the large yellow cable. When plugging tools into it, I would have to bend it a certain way in order to get the tool to work. No problem, I thought, as the cord was still good, I would simply replace the female end and I would be back in business. So, while at the store, I proceeded to purchase my needed item and a few days later, began the task of repair. Setting the new item beside me, I proceeded to cut off the old end and, in a few minutes, happily inspected my cord restoration project.

All looked perfect, but I thought I had better plug something into it for a quick test. Carrying it to the outlet, I reached for the prong end of the cord when to my surprise, I then held two male ends! Not only would that not work, but it could also be extremely dangerous! I had cut off the defective female end, and with no thought at all, replaced it with the new male end that I had inadvertently purchased. I am not sure if this has anything to do with growing older or not, as this is not the first silly thing I have done. Everyone got a good laugh at my blatant faux pas.

While this incident could happen at any age, one can tell they are getting a little older when they make groaning noises every time they sit down or stand up. My grandchildren often remind me of that. As you age, new athletes or store clerks start to look like little children. You wonder if they are even old enough to drive. Then you realize that the year 2000 was over 20 years ago and the oldies stations are playing music from your childhood. You sometimes hurt for no reason at all, strange hair pops up in the most unusual places, and CDs or VHS tapes still seem like normal items. It makes me smile to think of such things and how time marches on.

While I hope to keep the mix-ups to a minimum, I am sure they will still come. You meant to zig when you should have zagged. You’re not sure why you walked into the kitchen. You name every grandchild before you get the right name. Faux pas happens. Life is enjoyable and interesting at any age. I look forward to what today might bring! Now what was I writing about?

~Mark

Our Hair Gel

I have always admired Mama’s natural curls. Curls fascinated me and she has always taken good care of hers and they are quite beautiful. I never really thought my hair was very curly until several years ago, after I donated twelve inches and gelled the length that was left, it curled! I was so excited!

 

Of course, with natural curl, there are some good days and not so good. You may have heard that curly hair requires a lot more maintenance, but for me it seems to take little effort to keep in order. I have not used a brush on my hair in years, never use a curling or flat iron, and rarely use a blow dryer! Wash once or twice a week, finger comb while it is wet, gel, scrunch, air dry, style. It is generally French braided or pulled up to the top of my head to sleep. We have tried several hair gels, but my favorite is the kind we make at home.

The main ingredient of our gel is brown flaxseed, also known as linseed. These small flat seeds are native from the Mediterranean to India, but are also farmed in Russia, Canada, and China. Flax contains a rich dose of omega-3 fatty acids, which supports scalp health. Another important ingredient is marshmallow root, and it is known to reduce inflammation of the skin and is used in many hair products. Marshmallows, the confection we all love, were originally made from the root of this plant. It helps boost the slippage that the flaxseed provides. Also necessary to the gel is the Vitamin E and glycerin as they are conditioners. Honey and xanthan gum help increase hold and thicken to the right consistency. Citric acid is a preservative and essential oils add a pleasant smell.

Flaxseed Hair Gel:

1/3 c. flaxseed

2 T. marshmallow root

2 c. water

Boil these ingredients in small saucepan for five minutes. Strain through a nylon stocking adding ½ c. cold water to ensure all the gel has gone through. While in a bowl, add the following ingredients.

Vitamin E oil (small drizzle)

Vegetable Glycerin (small drizzle)

1 t. Honey

Xanthan gum (Add approx. 1\2 tsp. slowly while beating with eggbeater, otherwise it will clump.)

10-20 drops essential oil (Citrus scent lends itself well to this gel.)

This gel takes about half an hour to make and lasts for about a month. It does require refrigeration and can also be frozen in ice cube trays and thawed when needed. We have a lot of curly hair in our family and this gel is perfect for all natural curl types.

      

Our own hair gel is my favorite, as it holds curl the best of any gel I have ever tried while remaining soft, light, and voluminous. It has been a joy to make and use this gel. It is completely natural and makes for healthy, happy hair! Natural curls will thank you for this flaxseed hair gel!

~Jayla

Warm and Toasty

A few days ago, Dad bought some fire bricks for the wood stove. A couple of the old bricks lining the back that were cracked were missing, and they needed to be replaced. A fire brick is made of clay, alumina or mullite, and a lot of other ingredients. Fire bricks are used in wood stoves to protect the inside, and to reflect the heat back into the stove which helps it hold a lot of heat.

Before we put in the new stones, the old ones had to come out. I got a flat headed screwdriver and a hammer. Then I started working on taking them out. It was a lot harder than I thought, because the rocks were broken, and hard to get the screwdriver underneath to pry them up.

After getting all the broken pieces out, I cleaned out the ashes that had fallen into the crack along the back and pried out little pieces of rock that were jammed in between. After cleaning the crack out, I inserted one of the new fire stones, and it slid right into place.

The metal rack which held the stones in place had gotten bent down, this made it too hard to slip the fire stone into its spot. We heated the bent metal with a torch till it got so hot the metal turned red. Then we took a pair of pliers and bent it back into its original place. We placed in the new rocks, and they fit in perfectly. We had only one left over.

With the new stones, the stove will put out a lot more heat. When winter temperatures come, the house will be toasty and warm. I am very thankful for our wood stove and the new firebrick that will keep us safe and sound.

~ Jonah

Experiencing Hot Pot

Have you ever experienced a hot pot meal with a few close friends? We recently were invited to share hot pot with Mark’s niece Jesseca and her fiancée Andy, while visiting in Ohio. Andy is from China and has fond memories of this traditional Chinese communal meal. It was an honor and blessing to participate in the event.

Entering Adele’s kitchen, where Jesseca and Andy were preparing the vegetables for the meal, I anticipated jumping in to assist. To my delight, Andy welcomed my help. While he chopped and diced, he explained that enjoying hot pot was primarily an experience mutually shared, as it was both prepared together and eaten together while both food and fellowship were enjoyed. While we worked, Andy related his memories of family hot pot and the history behind the practice. Its Chinese name literally translates into “Firepot.”

We cleaned rice by washing and repeating until the water ran clear. I had never washed rice so extensively but enjoyed the sensation of the grains passing over my hands time and again. Andy said that washing the rice was often his job when he was a boy. It was an important task, as properly cleaned rice was a necessity in Chinese custom. Washing the rice removed excess starch, as well as any dirt or impurities. It was essential in allowing the rice to be fluffier when cooked, rather than gummy, and gave it a shinier appearance.

I was enamored by the colors, textures, and pleasant varieties of fresh vegetables. I even learned how to properly cut bamboo shoots. I giggled at the beautiful enoki mushrooms as we pulled them apart into small bundles. Their small, shiny, white caps on lengthy threadlike stems were a new delicacy for me. Everyone worked in unison to assemble the meal ingredients, including shitake mushrooms, mustard greens, and bok choy. Protein ingredients included thinly sliced brisket, sliced beef tongue, and cubed tofu. Tomato based broth, spicy Sichuan broth, traditional herbal broth, and Andy’s special broth bubbled and simmered on the tables while the vegetables were being prepared.

In a hot pot meal, a large pot of broth is shared at the center of the table to cook the bite sized pieces of meat and vegetables. Each participant uses their own chopsticks to deposit whatever is available to their liking into the pot to cook. It is a versatile, satisfying way to please several people, as there can be something for everyone in a hot pot meal. When it is finished cooking, the food is removed with chopsticks and deposited into your bowl to eat. Individual dipping sauce bowls are close by for personal use. The idea was to dunk the newly cooked hot pot ingredients into the sauce before eating them.

Directly, our fresh meal ingredients were positioned ornately on the tables, filling the area and making for a bountiful looking feast. The pots were bubbling, the places set, and we were ready with our bowls laden with beautiful, shiny, rice. We were set to experience the meal portion of hotpot. Using our chopsticks, we placed items into the broth to cook. It was easy to lose what we had put in, but Andy said that it didn’t matter what we ended up taking out, even though we tried to diligently watch what was “ours.” It wasn’t as easy to withdraw the ingredients with chopsticks as it was to place them in! There were tongs available to fish items out, but we all wanted to realize the full Chinese experience and remained with our wooden utensils! Surprisingly, it didn’t take but a minute or two for the ingredients to cook. As the meat required less time than the vegetables, we put it in right before the vegetables were finished. As per traditional Chinese cuisine, we enjoyed dumplings with our hotpot.

Camaraderie was woven into our hotpot meal. The cooking experience was practically effortless, and we repeated the process several times throughout the course of the meal. While we leisurely discussed the history and technique of the meal, the broth became richer and more flavorful. You could watch it change as we exchanged family stories and added and extracted more items to and from the pots. The end of the traditional meal finished with drinking the full-bodied savory broth.

We are thankful for the experience of sharing this special intimate meal with Jesseca and Andy. Our hot pot was more than a meal. It was a participation in something bigger than ourselves. It was a look into a different culture. It was a moment in history where we shared in others’ stories. Our lives intersected and like the broth, we are all the richer for it.

- Rhonda